Article Text
Abstract
Objectives While the term return to work (RTW) is commonly used, the extent to which it has a shared and agreed upon meaning is limited. RTW following temporary work disability is traditionally measured as a dichotomous outcome measured at a specific point in time proceeding a specific event, often onset of disability or time of a specific intervention. However, no sickness absence periods are alike and employees may experience recurrences of sickness absence and only gradually recover from their injury or illness. Previous reviews have highlighted the need to combine various measures of RTW in order to capture recurrences, emphasising the most commonly used measures capturing “time to the end of first temporary work disability period” and “time to first RTW” have limited value on their own. The purpose of this study was to compare a RTW measure defining RTW as cessation of sickness absence compensation, to register data on labour market participation in a period of 12 months after PCI, and of 12 months after first RTW.
Methods Based on data on a cohort of 1585 study participants admitted following PCI from a large hospital in Denmark, merged with a national register of granted social transfer payments, analysis of two different RTW outcomes; time to first RTW and labour market participation 12 months following RTW, are performed.
Results The presentation will focus on analysis of correlation between the two different outcomes, in order to identify the labour market history following a measure of RTW used widely in RTW research.